A Modern Miko
by penofjade
Summary: AU-Present Day. Kagome has always known her place in the world. She is human. Nothing more, nothing less. Before her is a future filled with possibilities. Then, the unthinkable happens: she begins manifesting the powers of a miko.
1. A Rocky Beginning

A/N: I blame my liking of this paring on several people (both fanfic authors and fancomic artists), but I won't go into that ^-^ Let's just say, I enjoy these two together, so you must all be made to enjoy them with me!

This is AU-Present Day, so don't expect a lot of canon stuff here. Kagome is living in a world where humans, youkai, and hanyou have coexisted rather peacefully for several centuries. She has always known what her place was. However, when she suddenly begins manifesting the powers of a miko, everything changes. After all, the only thing really feared by youkai (and hanyou) are those who have the power of purification.

Disclaimer (because they aren't mine) - The InuYasha canon and its characters belong toRumiko Takahashi.  
The Suzuki's are mine (in a sense).

Enjoy!

* * *

Dark clouds were never a good sign. Kagome couldn't really think of once in her life when they'd heralded anything but trouble. Her earliest recollection of something weather related was the death of her father. He'd just gone out to get some groceries for dinner. On the way home, a car had careened out of control on the wet roads and hit him. Dark clouds always brought back dark memories for Kagome...

As she set out that Saturday morning, she couldn't help but glance nervously up at the obvious weather front building quickly in the distance. If it decided to really come down, her umbrella wasn't going to do her much good. Sighing, deciding there was nothing for it, she pushed on. Her job wasn't very glamorous, but it put a bit of money in her pocket. The shrine was doing well, but not so well that she felt right asking for money to go buy a new dress or a pair of shoes.

The rain started just as she pushed open the back door of the flower shop where she worked. Even though she was running a few minutes late, she couldn't help standing and staring out at it for a moment or two. Hearing the bell ring as a customer entered, she quickly shook off the spell she seemed to be under, snagged her apron off its hook, and hurried out into the front of the shop. A wolf youkai stood at the counter, his eyes locked on the owner's daughter. Sachiko, who usually lived up to her name by being welcoming and cheerful, didn't seem terribly thrilled with the attention. Her ears were flattened backwards in a way which most people knew meant _NOT HAPPY, BACK AWAY_. This particular customer, however, either didn't notice the telltale sign or didn't care. Seeing that he himself was obviously a youkai, what with the tail and facial markings, Kagome would have put money on the latter.

Not sure whether she should interrupt or go find Sachiko's parents, she watched in growing concern as the man reached towards her friend. Taking firm hold of her chin, he said quite clearly, "You're plenty old enough to take a mate, little hanyou...Why don't you and I get to know one another a better?" His words were followed by a chuckle which made Kagome's insides twist.

Having grown up in a world where youkai and humans had managed to coexist in relative harmony for several centuries, she could easily list a great number of youkai whom she would count trustworthy. This particular specimen, however, was never going to be among them. Something about him simply seemed...off. Deciding that getting the hanyou's parents was the best option, she turned to leave the room, only to hear her friend's rumbling growl turn into a yelp of pain.

Spinning back to face the two, Kagome was rather shocked to find her friend being held several feet off the ground, her neck in the powerful, claw-tipped hand of the smirking youkai.

Kagome was terrified. Her mind darted back and forth between "doing something" and "getting help". Her decision was made for her however, when the youkai laughed nastily before tightening his grip on Sachiko's neck even more. If the girl had been a human, it probably would have killed her. However, that didn't mean she wasn't in pain. Seeing the girl's face begin to turn color, Kagome felt her fingers go numb. To her left was a shelf filled with decorative, inscribed stones and small statues. Reaching out she quickly picked up the a round rock which read: _Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still. _Pulling her arm back she threw it as hard as she could at the menacing youkai.

However, instead of doing what most rocks do when thrown, this particular one lit up like a lightbulb and then exploded. It wasn't a huge explosion...it wasn't even a large explosion. However, it _was_ an explosion, which no matter the size is not something you expect when you throw a rock.

With a howl of pain, the youkai dropped the hanyou before spinning and focusing on her rescuer. Backing up as far as she could go, Kagome watched as he drew himself up to attack. He didn't get much farther than that, though. Sachiko's father, who was also the owner of the shop, burst through the backdoor, snarling as he locked eyes with the "customer". Within a matter of moments, the smaller wolf was dashing out the door, his tail, literally, tucked between his legs.

Haruna Suzuki, who had followed her husband into the room, was now kneeling next to her daughter, concern and anger flashing in her dark eyes. "Sachiko, are you alright?"

Nodding, the woman's daughter continued to massage her neck. A handprint could barely be seen, and it continued to grow fainter as the seconds ticked by.

Kagome was still standing with her back against the wall, eyes wide as she tried to process what had just happened.

Sachiko's father, himself a wolf youkai, slowly turned to face his daughter's friend and fellow employee. "I think we would all like an explanation, Kagome." His voice was neither accusatory nor entirely friendly.

Kagome, if she admitted it to herself, wasn't really that surprised. Youkai and humans got on well, so long as their respective powers were kept discreetly out of the picture. Before she could do more than open her mouth and make a few inarticulate noises, Sachiko interrupted.

"Father! Kagome just saved me!"

"I'm well aware of that, Sachiko. That wasn't what I asked." Bending over just slightly, he looked Kagome directly in the eye and said again, "An explanation, Kagome."

"I...I don't know what happened..." She wasn't sure what to tell him. Even though her family kept the local shrine, she had never, not even once, manifested any sort of spiritual power. Granted, her awareness of youkai was perhaps a bit stronger than most other humans her age, but she'd never expected anything like that surge of power she'd felt when she'd thrown the rock. Knowing he wanted more than that, however, she continued, "I came in from the back and he was bothering Sachi...I didn't know what to do! I was going to run over and get one of you, but then he grabbed her by the neck...I felt my hand go numb and then when I looked at the rocks, I decided it couldn't hurt to throw one. I honestly had no idea it was going to explode when it hit him!" Her voice had gone from unsure to pleading. What she was pleading for, she didn't know. Mercy? Understanding? Nothing about the situation was making much sense to her.

Haruna, who had helped her daughter to stand, glanced over at the display which Kagome had pulled her weapon from. Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair and said, a little darkly, "Let's just be glad you didn't pick up any of the statues...I don't know what would have happened if you'd thrown something pointed at him."

Kagome's eyes widened as she quickly turned to look at the objects on the shelf, as well. Sure enough, only a few inches farther down from where the rock had once sat, was a tapered statue of a young woman. If simply hitting him with something large and round had wounded him like that, what would have happened if the object had actually managed to pierce his skin?

"Mom!" Kagome was startled back to reality when her friend let out of small growl of displeasure. "She saved me! What does it matter if she hurt him? I'm _glad _she hurt him!"

"Not now, Sachiko," came the deeper voice of her father, who was still watching Kagome closely, though now from a safe distance.

_I've become something he was taught to fear as a child_, Kagome thought to herself. Even though what she had done was merely to protect his youngest daughter, her actions still set off red flags somewhere in his head. She'd learned about all that from her grandfather, back when she was still too young for them to know if she possessed any true power. The kindly voice of her oldest living relative echoed in her mind, saying, "Youkai learned to fear, truly fear, only one type of human. A select few were granted the powers of purification. With a single touch, they could wipe out a youkai's very existence." She had been awed by the idea then, but now she felt sick. In a world where youkai and humans were no longer at odds, she had become one of the few things the former still feared and the latter still revered.

The moments ticked by after this, no one saying anything, while the rain continued to pour down outside. Kagome could tell that Sachiko really wanted to say something, so she spoke up, before that could happen, "I'll...I'll just go home." As she inched closer to the back door, she added, "I'll talk to you later, Sachi." And with that, she was gone. Not thinking to stop and grab either her umbrella or her purse, she darted out into the sidestreet which the back of the story exited on to. Finally forced to slow after two or three blocks, she stopped to catch her breath as the full reality of everything which had taken place hit her. She wasn't going back to her job. More than likely, she didn't have a job to go back _to_. Even more than that, though, was the fact that her future possibilities had just narrowed down to nearly nothing. No business would want to hire someone who made all her coworkers nervous, albeit for different reasons. The youkai, and most of the hanyou, would stay far out of her way; this, in turn, would make the humans among them jumpy and unable to focus.

Walking numbly the rest of the way to the shrine, she climbed the tall stairway without counting the steps, as she usually did. Reaching the house, she walked in through the backdoor, startling her mother into nearly dropping her cup of tea.

"Kagome! What's wrong?" Mrs. Higurashi was up and out her seat before her daughter could form an answer. "You're soaking wet! Hurry upstairs and take a hot bath!"

Kagome, however, didn't move, continuing to drip all over the kitchen floor. "Mama..." Her voice came out soft and so full of tears it was a wonder only rain wet her face.

"Are you hurt?"

"No..."

"Whatever is the matter?" Her voice was soft, but now she was even more concerned. Kagome had always been a very happy child. Seeing her like this was a rare occurrence, which was how her mother wanted it to stay.

"I...I..."

"Drink this, dear," a hot cup of tea, probably the very one the woman had nearly spilled, was put into her daughter's hands.

After a sip and a few moments of deep breaths, Kagome finally managed to say, "I manifested. I'm a miko."

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Reviews make me happy ^-^


	2. Ever Vigilant

A/N: Look at me, being all productive ^-^

In this chapter, Kagome learns a little more about her family's past and gains some insight into what her future might hold.

**Disclaimer (because they aren't mine) - The InuYasha canon and its characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.  
Shiori (c) me.  
**

* * *

Kagome's mother might only have been a Higurashi by marriage, but that did not mean she was unaware of what her daughter's blunt statement _meant_. Taking a deep breath herself, she rubbed the girl's back a few times before standing to get a towel. Poking her head into the living room, she found her son stretched out on the floor attempting to do his homework while watching his favorite television show. Instead of scolding him, however, she simply told him in a whisper to find his grandfather.

Recognizing that something was quite obviously wrong with his sister, Sota hurried to obey. Whatever it was, he decided as he rounded the house, it couldn't be good...

* * *

Kagome sat in silence as her mother worked to get most of the moisture out of her hair. What was she supposed to say? Was there even anything _to_ say? Her one true experience with youthful independence hadn't simply run into a snag...It had well and truly careened into a surprisingly sturdy brick wall. Now she was left with a headache and the rather unfamiliar desire to hit something, _very hard_.

When the kitchen door opened a few minutes later, both women turned to see the concerned, wrinkled face of the Higuarshi family head.

"What has happened?" he said simply, glancing between his granddaughter and his daughter-in-law.

"I was at work when-" she cut herself off, taking a deep breath. Giving herself a little shake, she tried again, "I was at work when I manifested, Grandpa."

His eyes widened in shock as he looked at her. "Are you sure, Kagome? We had you tested several times when you were a child!"

"I threw a rock at a wolf youkai who was hurting Sachi, and it blew up when it hit him," her voice was soft, but her grandfather had no trouble hearing every word.

"You mean- but no one- you're the first-Child, why are you crying?" His questioning exclamation ended the rambling snippets of thought which had been popping into the room.

Sure enough, large, wet tears slid down Kagome's face. Sucking in a long, shaky breath, she said through them, "I could have hurt Sachi! I could have killed that youkai! I could have done so many terrible things, and not even known I was doing them!"

Hurrying over to his oldest grandchild, the elderly priest took hold of her shoulders and shook her a time or two. It wasn't a rough shaking, merely his way of gaining her undivided attention. "Stop thinking like a youkai, Kagome! This is not a curse you've been given, no matter what they all say about it!"

"But, how am I ever going to get a job? No business will hire me once they know I could kill half their workforce with a wave of my hand!" She knew that she was probably simplifying how her powers actually worked, but that was beside the point. The tears continued to drip down her cheeks, but Kagome could feel herself getting frustrated at his happiness. "I never _asked_ for this 'gift'! I simply wanted to live a happy life, one with friends and a husband and children. One where I could pick what sort of job I'd like to have, and where I wanted to go on vacation! Now, I'm left with nothing!"

"And now you're thinking like all those humans out there!" At his Grandpa Higurashi waved his hand in the general direction of the steep stairs which joined the shrine to the rest of the world. "They want those things because they have no choice to choose anything else. You, though. You, my girl, have the opportunity to become great! And even more than that, you have the chance to go out and do _good_. Real good."

"What are you talking about?" Because she was still seated, she didn't have to look up very far to see her grandfather's expression shift. His exuberance dampened just a bit, he sighed before squeezing the shoulders he still held.

"Unfortunately, I don't have the second sight, Kagome. However, what I do have is an understanding about what you now possess. The Higurashi family has not produced a miko in several centuries, but that does not mean we are without insight. Your ancestress left you something, I think. Come. We shall see if can uncover it." And with that, he turned and headed towards one of the storehouses.

Kagome was left sitting in the kitchen, her eyebrows drawn together into a questioning frown. She hadn't known that one of her ancestors had been a miko...Lovely how no one ever thought to tell you things like that until _afterwards_.

* * *

It took them an hour of rearranging before the correct item was unearthed. Shoved in between a box of odds and ends and a few blank rolls of old rice paper was a small box. Nothing marked it as out of the ordinary, but Kagome knew, as soon as she touched it, that something inside wanted _out_.

"Umm, Grandpa?" she said, as he turned to take the lid off. "I don't know if you should op-"

She got no farther than that, for as the warning left her mouth, the lid came off the box. A simple jade bracelet lay there, it's color a beautiful translucent green. As she reached for it without thinking, the world closed in around her and then dissolved into sparkling pinks and purples.

When she finally managed to focus again, Kagome found herself adrift in a darkness punctuated here and there by spots of light. Glancing over her shoulder, she discovered that she was completely alone. Not another soul shared the space with her, whatever that space might actually be. A moment passed, then another. Finally, Kagome could take the silence of the place no longer.

"Hello?" she called. Straining to hear a reply, all she heard was more silence. Trying again, louder this time, she cried, "Hello? Is anyone out there?"

A soft voice spoke to her right, although the words were too faint to understand. A moment passed, then the voice came again, this time more distinct. "Be calm. There is nothing to fear here."

Staring hard into the darkness which surrounded her, Kagome attempted to find the source of the voice. It came again, though this time from her left.

"It is time, Kagome. That is all." It was closer that time, but still there was no physical body for the voice to have come from.

"Time for what?" the girl demanded.

"Time. What you see around you is time. Past, present, future. You are floating in an eternity of what has been, what is now, and what might one day be. You have nothing to fear from it. Even if it wished to, it could not harm you." The voice had drifted nearer and nearer, coming so close that Kagome could have sworn there was someone standing right behind her.

"What are you?" she asked, still unable to see who she was speaking with.

The voice shifted direction once again, this time flowing at her from the front. "I am what I have always been, and you are what you shall always be. I am me; you are you. But together, you and I are two distinct points on the same, never-ending line. You are one of my many children, and I am a mother you have never known."

"I'm afraid I don't understand..." Kagome's voice trailed away as, out of the darkness, the shape of a woman came into being. She was of average height, her long hair so dark it blended into the background. Wide brown eyes stood out in contrast to her milky skin. While she wasn't wearing the customary outfit of a miko, Kagome could tell what she was. Finding her voice once more, she asked, "Are you my ancestress? The last Higurashi to have miko powers?"

The woman bowed her head in affirmation. "I am Shiori, and yes, you are a child of my child."

Bowing her head as deeply as she could without falling head over heels as she floated, Kagome said, "I am very pleased to meet you, Shiori-sama."

"Very good, young one. Now, I wish you to listen very closely, for we have not much time." The woman's voice became slightly brisker as she floated nearer. Bringing her arms up, the sleeves of her deep blue kimono slid back to reveal a pair of graceful hands holding between them the bracelet from the box. Reaching down, she slipped it onto the younger woman's left arm as she said, "This was once a simple trinket, nothing but a lovely piece of carved jade. It was a gift given to me by my husband after our marriage. You must wear it and remember to always be on your guard. In this time, as in others, there are those who would be your friend, but who only desire to be so in order to destroy you. Search out those who can be trusted. Be ever vigilant."

"What does it do?" Kagome lifted her arm and saw that the green band had shrunk a bit so that it wouldn't slip off over her hand.

"It is a way to both control your power and focus it," was the response. "However, you must use it wisely. It is not a toy, nor will it take kindly to being treated as such. To most it will appear as nothing more than a bracelet, albeit a pretty one. Until it is no longer needed, it will remain on your wrist. It will also remind you to stay vigilant. Ever vigilant. Evil does not rest, and so you must always be prepared."

As the woman's voice began to fade away, Kagome couldn't help but ask, "Did you lose your powers when you married?"

The reply was very faint, but she was still able to hear it, "Is not love one of the virtues? Many things have lost a miko her powers, child, but never a true, pure love."

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Reviews earn your brownie points ^-^


	3. BFF

A/N: This one is a bit shorter, but I think it gives Kagome the chance to deal with some of the fallout where her friend is concerned. Although I don't think we've seen the last of Sachiko yet ^-^

**Disclaimer: ****The InuYasha canon and its characters belong toRumiko Takahashi.  
Suzuki family (c) me  
Shiori (c) me**

* * *

Once the world had finished resolving itself back into its proper shape, Kagome found herself looking into the questioning face of her grandfather. He was holding a small, tightly rolled scroll out to her, the box which the bracelet had been sitting in open beside him.

Blinking at him a time or two, she finally managed to raise her arm and accept the proffered item. Turning it over in her hands, she asked, "What's this?"

"I have no idea," he answered, leading the way back out into the open air. "But it belonged to the last Higurashi miko, which means it might help you."

Her grandfather didn't mention the bracelet, so Kagome kept quiet on that front. Glancing down at her wrist as they walked back up to the house, she watched as the meager sunlight played along it. At some point during their time in the storehouse, the clouds had begun to break apart and the rain had ended, leaving behind only puddles and questions. _What have I gotten myself into_, she asked herself as the kitchen door closed behind them.

* * *

The next morning was bright and warm, more like what a day in late May was supposed to be. However, Kagome's good attitude took a sour turn very quickly, as she recalled all that had happened the day before. Heading downstairs for breakfast, she couldn't help but feel very put upon by fate…It was just so unfair! She'd never done anything to warrant such treatment!

Her pity party was interrupted, however, when a knock came from the front door. Mrs. Higurashi rose to answer it, but Kagome already knew who was there. Stopping her mother, she said, "I'll get it." At the woman's inquiring look, she added, "It's Sachi." Now that she'd actually manifested, there wasn't much use in hiding the fact that she could sense youkai and hanyou, was there? Her ability had never been very strong, nor was her range very wide, but still…Nobody wanted to know if you could do things like that. It made others _uncomfortable_.

Reaching the front door, she pulled it open, revealing the face of one of her best friends. Normally very vivacious and carefree, this morning the young wolf hanyou wore an expression of sad resolve. In her hands, she held the purple umbrella and sunshine yellow purse that Kagome'd forgotten to grab the day before as she'd dashed out of the store.

Offering them to the miko, Sachi said, her voice quiet and subdued, "Father said I could bring these back to you, but that I'm not to stay. They're waiting for me…at the bottom of the stairs." Her ears hung low as she held the items out.

"Thanks, Sachi," Kagome said, trying to let the girl know without actually saying it that she didn't blame her for what was happening.

One of the girl's ears twitched, telling the human that she was being summoned by a voice too distant for her own limited sense of hearing to pick up. "I have to go," she added as she turned. The girl's tail was low, not quite between her legs, but close enough to make Kagome want to give her a big hug.

"Sachi!" she called as the girl began to walk away, her head bowed.

Pausing, the young hanyou turned to look over her shoulder.

Deciding that she didn't care if the girl's father heard her, Kagome said warmly, "I don't blame you for any of this, and I understand why your parents don't want you too near me… Don't feel bad, okay? None of us can control what fate has in store. We just have to take what comes our way and make the best of it."

Her ears rose a bit and a small smile slid across the girl's face as she sighed, saying, "I'll miss you, Kagome. You always know just the right thing to say." And with that, she turned once again and hurried across the yard, her feet clattering down the stairs as she left the shrine and her friend behind.

Moments passed and then Kagome smiled sadly and said, "I'll miss you too, Sachiko-chan…"

* * *

Poor Sachiko...


	4. Father Knows Best

**A/N:** Wow...I got two done in one day. I'm surprised at myself, to tell the truth. Anyway, the story now moves away from Tokyo and heads to a brand new, undisclosed location. ^-^ Whomever will we meet now?**  
**

* * *

**Somewhere Else in Japan**

Inu no Taisho, the Great Dog General, paced slowly across the wide throne room of the Western Fortress. The building had stood the test of time well, as had his lands. However, something needed to be done. His two sons were apt to destroy the place which he'd built for them, if they weren't careful. Even as he thought this, he could feel the pulse of their yoki from the courtyard many floors below.

Giving a deep sigh, he glanced toward the wall of windows which would give him a birds eye view of the fight, if he so wanted it. They had been at this for centuries…something needed to be done. Sesshomaru's mother could only entice him to stay with her for so long before he'd come flying back, intent on making sure his younger half-brother hadn't done anything foolish in his absence. Their battles had lost much of their heat over the years, as the two had matured, but they could still knock stones from the walls and rip paving up from under the feet of those who watched.

But what was he supposed to do? The fights were as much a part of their affection for one another as it was competition. While the two would never admit to him, or anyone else, that they cared about each other, it was quite clear to those who knew how to look properly. Izayoi, his lovely human mate, would simply smile softly when they'd come to dinner after such a battle, asking, as she made sure they both had plenty to eat, "I trust you two enjoyed yourselves today?"

It had taken time for Sesshomaru to accept the idea that his mother was no longer Lady of the Western Lands. However, when he _did_ begin to acknowledge his step-mother, Toga had questioned him as to what had brought about the change. Apparently, on one of his visits to his mother in her castle in the clouds, she'd written him a letter, explaining in her own words what had taken place. It read: "Your father and I were never true mates. I wanted power; he wished for an alliance. The human whom he found many years later...she had very little to offer, except her affection. Even I could tell that the true Western Lady had come to take the place which I had usurped. An alpha is an alpha...and when the rightful alpha appears, all others must either challenge her or bow. He would have fought for her, in the way of mates. And I would have lost. Such is the way of things. I kept my dignity and acknowledged her place beside him by walking away quietly. You are the alpha's son; she is the alpha's mate. Do not dishonor yourself by ignoring that fact. Do not dishonor me by declaring my righteousness where I was in the wrong. We shall speak no more of this."

After having put himself through that ordeal all those centuries before, Toga had made a firm declaration to himself: he would never require such a thing of his sons. However...if they continued to tear apart the grounds (and certain select portions of the interior), he might just possibly reconsider that. He'd find them both wives, if not mates, and send them out to destroy other parts of the country.

The door across the room opened at that point, interrupting his brooding. The Lady of the West moved gracefully towards him as the opening behind her closed silently. Seeing something that troubled her, a small frown came across her forehead before she asked, "You're not thinking about marrying them off again, are you?"

Chuckling at her insightfulness, he walked to her side and asked, "Whatever would give you that idea?"

"Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that they've already gone through one of the gardens this morning? I fear they'll destroy a bathhouse or two by this afternoon, at the rate they're going." Her voice was tempered with a good natured lilt that showed she was teasing him.

Shaking his head at her words, which were truer than many would believe, he sighed, saying, "Even after all this time, they still manage to find new quarrels..."

"Or revive old ones," Izayoi added, a wry twist to her lips. "I believe something was said this morning at breakfast which harkened back to that hunt three hundred years ago. You remember the one?"

"Hn," was her mate's answer as he thought back to the incident in question. "What a mess they made..."

"That might explain why this morning's bout of brotherly affection is a bit stronger than usual," the woman answered him as they approached the dais.

Taking up their respective places, she leaned towards him on the arm of her throne, bringing up the reason for her presence in the room. "What was this idea you mentioned this morning? You seemed quite taken by it."

Toga's stoic face split into a wide grin, revealing both sharply pointed canines as he declared, "I believe I have found a way to take care of several important problems at one blow." Not able to sit while he was thinking, he stood and began moving up and down before her as he continued. "The lands here are beginning to go a bit wilder than is good for them. I don't want nature to completely take over again, after all. It took some time to make this estate what it is." Pausing, he gazed up at the ceiling for a moment before saying, "I think it would be a good idea to open some sort of museum or park here. Something which can highlight the importance of the events which took place all those centuries ago."

"Like a living museum?" his mate asked, beginning to see what he was getting at. "Somewhere on the grounds?"

"Exactly!" he exclaimed, a wide grin splitting his large face.

Izayoi couldn't help but smile at his exuberance. Inuyasha had gotten that portion of his personality from Toga's more emotional side. Sesshomaru resembled the man more when he was being Inu no Taisho. Thinking about her sons, however, brought back his earlier comment. "You said several issues. What were the others?"

"Two issues, to be precise," he said, facing her. "I think it would be a _wonderful_ idea if they worked on this particular project. _Together_."

Before she could say anything in response, an enormous explosion ripped through the air below them. As their eyes met, Izayoi asked pointedly, "We are speaking about our children, aren't we?"

The Great Dog General marched over to the bank of windows and watched the smoke and dust settle below them. He allowed a large, though not completely friendly, smile to cross his face. "I think it's high time they both found something meaningful to do with their lives. My sons are both fully grown...so I see no reason for why I should allow them to continue to act like untried pups."

* * *

Inu no Taisho is the boss! Let me know what you're thinking ^-^


	5. To Test the Waters

A/N: Here you go ^-^ She's debating what to do...

I don't own anyone. They all go to RT. Thanks

* * *

Kagome had been staring at the small scroll for almost an hour. Saying goodbye to Sachi earlier that morning had been a painful experience, and she was sure the hanyou wouldn't be the only friend who would be forced to walk away from her, now that she wasn't 'normal' anymore. Pushing herself off the bed, she started pacing up and down the length of her bedroom. Five steps one way, five steps back. Five steps one way, five steps back. The scroll simply lay where she'd placed it, acting all innocent.

Glaring at it as she paced, she grumbled under her breath about the unfairness of everything. She'd not asked for any of this! After awhile, she stopped, put her left fist on her hip, and pointed with her right hand at the item.

"I don't care who you came from, but you aren't going to ruin my life any farther! Got it?"

Before she could continue, however, her brother poked his head around her door and looked at her inquisitively. "Sis...who are you talking to?"

"No one! Now get out, Sota!" She tried to usher him out before he could make a comment about the scroll. Too late.

"You _still_ haven't opened that?" he asked, managing to slip through her hands and grab it up off her bed.

"Sota!"

"Don't tell me you're afraid of one little scroll, Sis..." His tone told her he wasn't terribly impressed with the way she was handling everything.

Before Kagome could unleash the frustration which had been building over the last day or so, their mother's voice drifted up to them from the kitchen. With it came the scent of freshly baked banana bread. Because there was food waiting downstairs, the young woman settled for snatching back the scroll and glaring at her younger brother. He, in turn, simply stuck his tongue out. When their mother's cooking was on the line, they knew it was safer, and more fulfilling, to call a temporary truce...

**~TIME PASSES~**

After eating and helping her grandfather with a few of the chores, Kagome found herself right back where she'd started. Mostly. Now the scroll was positioned on her desk while she sat on the bed with her back against the wall. Legs drawn up to her chest, she thought over all the horrible things which could happen if she opened it. After all, if merely throwing an everyday rock had completely changed her life, what could an heirloom scroll do? And then there was the bracelet...The woman, Shiori, had told her that most people wouldn't even notice it, but she found the same was true for herself. Unless she was actually staring at it, or thinking about it, she kept forgetting she was wearing it.

Sighing, she threw her head back, banging it against the wall in the process. "Ow..." she hissed as she reached up to rub her now sore skull. As the ache slipped away, she ran her hands through her long, dark hair.

Sota's words from earlier played over and over again, taunting her with how true they were...She was afraid of a simple rice paper scroll. It been shoved away in its hiding place for how many centuries? And here she was, wondering if she'd get knocked back into some alternate dimension if she messed with it. Kagome had never thought herself heroine material, but at least she'd never considered herself a coward...until now.

Taking a deep breath, she said under her breath, "What's the worst that could happen? I mean, my life's already completely destroyed...What more can fate do to me?"

Shifting forward, she stretched out and snagged the item gingerly. Drawing in even more air, she let it all out in a loud sigh. "You can do this, Kagome," she assured herself as she ran her fingers along the seam. "It's just paper...You can do this."

And with that final declaration, she slit the ancient seal, allowing the scroll to unravel into her lap.


	6. Some Words of Wisdom

**A/N:** Kagome does some research on her choices... This was done using KYN's Weekly Word Prompt "Glow".

**Disclaimer:** All canon characters found within belong to one, Rumiko Takahashi. I make no money from this fanfic.

* * *

Kagome wasn't sure what she'd been expecting. A flash of light? A vision? A papercut? Rather anticlimactically, she was greeted with a scroll of completely blank rice paper. It was rather disappointing, after the events of the last day or so. At least the rock had changed colors and exploded...

Giving a disgusted sigh, rather embarrassed at herself for having wasted most of the day fretting over nothing, she rolled it back up and plunked it down on her desk. Trudging off to the bathroom, she set about forgetting the whole thing for awhile.

It wasn't until she turned off the lights, ready to sink into, hopefully, a dreamless sleep, that she realized something. The scroll was glowing. Not neon-sign glowing, but there was definitely a weird light emanating from the object. Sitting up quickly, Kagome climbed out of bed, almost falling on her face when her foot got caught in the blanket. Grabbing onto her chair, she moved it around so she could sit.

Gingerly, she touched it, recalling the last glowing thing she'd held and the damage it had done. When the tentative touch didn't blow up the house, she began to gingerly unroll it again. As the writing surface came into view, Kagome was flabbergasted to see writing where there had been nothing before. Blinking a few times, she drew nearer to the scroll so that she could read the characters.

In the formal script of a bygone era, she read, "Why do you sit, waiting for your destiny to find you? Show the rest what dwells within. Only then shall you be able to embrace yourself fully."

She had to reread the lines several times in order for their meaning to sink in. Something about the phrasing reminded her of the ancestor who had so recently waylaid her inside what could only be called the space-time continuum.

As she finished perusing the newly written comments, they slowly began fading away. As they disappeared, so too did the strange glow. Trying to take these things in stride, Kagome returned to her bed, although now she was completely awake.

Eyes locked on the ceiling, she mused over what the characters had told her. If it was a message, its meaning was fairly obvious...Although how she was supposed to show everyone her miko powers, she had no idea. After all, most of society was not as welcoming of them as she would like. What she really needed to do was find a teacher. But that was going to be rather difficult. Miko's were fairly rare at the best of times. She had only heard of one such woman in Tokyo...and she was well advanced in years.

Rolling over to face the wall, she sighed. Perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad thing for her to research and attempt to come up with some plan. It never hurt to be prepared, after all...

* * *

The next morning, Kagome headed to the library, grabbing a computer terminal and beginning her search. Her memory had indeed been correct. There was only one trained miko in all of Tokyo, and she was almost eighty years old. She lived at the Sacred Temple, which the girl had only ever visited once. She could barely recall that trip, but she knew it hadn't been a fun one. After all, she'd been taken there in order to be tested for miko powers.

Looking at the pictures she found online, she vaguely remembered the large, imposing buildings. Each structure'd had a presence to it which had terrified her. So different from the friendly and welcoming atmosphere of her own family's shrine, the temple had felt like a prison. And every person she saw there had been either frowning or giving off extreme negative feelings. Being polite, however, Kagome had kept these observations to herself.

While Kaede was the only fully trained miko, there were several young women in training under her. They simply hadn't been granted the full name of miko yet. Another memory stirred as the faces of those girls came up on the screen. A child, barely older than herself, had watched her being tested. When the priest was finished, he proclaimed that she, Kagome Higurashi, did not possess any miko potential. The girl had smiled, before spinning and disappearing into the temple's interior. It had not been a friendly smile...

Staring up at her from the computer monitor was the same face, although now several years older. The name beneath the photo was one she had always wondered about...Her name was Kikyo.

* * *

And so it begins!


	7. Some of the Old Purity Still

More information is revealed, and two new characters are introduced.

Prompt: KYN Weekly Word Prompt - Wind (Dokuga)

Disclaimer: All canon characters found within belong to one, Rumiko Takahashi. I make no money from this fanfic.

* * *

The temple was still just as imposing and unpleasant as she remembered. She'd always been a little confused by that...shouldn't a temple feel as peaceful and serene, if not more so, than a simple family shrine? Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, Kagome attempted to ignore the twisting feeling deep in her gut. Nothing would happen to her in such a sacred place. It was simply not possible.

With that thought in mind, she continued walking towards the main temple hall. The next step would be to find someone who looked official. Kaede would surely understand why she felt the need to see her. After all, it couldn't be a good idea to have an untrained miko running around...Too many influential youkai would find that distasteful and upsetting.

Rounding a corner, she nearly ran headlong into a young man in priest's robes. Steadying her, he chuckled. "I'm very sorry! Such a lovely young lady as yourself should be _swept_ off her feet...not knocked off of them!"

Looking up, she began to respond, only to let out a shriek of indignation when a hand came in contact with her rear. Responding out of habit, she reached back and grabbed the arm, pulling down sharply. The dark eyes before her widened a little and then the young man winced as she twisted his wrist. Letting go quickly, she took a step away from him, watching as he rubbed the bruised area.

"Sorry..." he muttered sheepishly, his boyish features showing he was a little embarrassed. "It's just...when I see a lovely young woman, I have a hard time resisting."

"Well you can just keep resisting, because this 'lovely young woman' isn't interested." Kagome had dealt with her share of perverts during high school, not all of them fellow students. Whoever had come up with the idea that young girls should walk around in short skirts had obviously been a bit of a pervert, too.

"As a way of apologizing, is there anything I can help you with? Were you looking for someone?" Now he was flexing the abused hand.

Kagome watched him, feeling just a little guilty about how hard she'd twisted...Maybe she'd gone a little overboard. After all, he'd only _touched_ her butt. Others had done more than that. Granted, those others had also gotten to walk around with black eyes for a few days. Kagome wasn't a violent person, but no young lady liked to be groped, especially by a forty-something year old man on a bus. Deciding it couldn't hurt to ask him for directions, she said, "Would you be able to tell me where Kaede-sama is? I need to talk to her."

The young man's face fell slightly before he told her, "Unfortunately, Kaede-sama isn't doing terribly well at the moment. She is much older than she likes to think...Would you be willing to tell me why you need to see her? Perhaps I can speak with someone."

"I...well, I..." Kagome took a deep breath, reassuring herself that, as a priest, he would understand her predicament. "I manifested a few days ago, and I'd like to know if there's any way she can teach me how to control my powers."

"Oh!" he exclaimed, his expression changing a little. "So you're the one who threw the rock! Well, that changes everything. Come along this way." He indicated a passage between two of the buildings. "I'll take you straight there."

As they walked along, he said, "Might I ask you for your name? I've heard about the rock incident, but not the new miko's name."

"I'm Kagome," she said, "Kagome Higurashi."

"It's nice to meet you, Kagome-sama. I am Miroku Hoshi." He smiled at her, bowing a little in her direction as they kept walking.

After five minutes or so, they rounded one of the smaller buildings and came into a courtyard. On one side was a pond, and before it, wrapped in a shawl, sat the woman Kagome had come to see.

Miroku indicated that she should wait where she was, while he continued on. Reaching the lady's side, he bent down and said something softly to her. At his comment, the gray head turned to look in her direction. Beckoning her forward, she rose, a bit shakily, from her bench.

"Come here, child," she said, reaching out and taking her hands as she reached them."It's so ni-" She got no farther than that, for within seconds she was staggering backwards towards the bench.

Miroku hastily assisted her. "Kaede-sama!" he exclaimed, attempting to get her attention. "Kaede-sama, are you alright?"

The elderly miko, however, was staring, open-mouthed, at the young woman before her. After a few moments, she finally managed to close her mouth, only to open it again as she said softly, "After all this time...We have waited so long."

"Kaede-sama, I think I should go get someone to make sure you're alright," Miroku interrupted.

As he turned to leave, however, she snatched his arm with the speed of a viper and the strength of a bear. "Be still, Miroku," she said quietly, still staring at Kagome. "You will stay where you are."

Obviously shocked and confused, he complied.

"What is your name?" she asked the young miko.

"Kagome," answered the concerned woman, "Kagome Higurashi."

"Come stand over here, Kagome. If you please."

As she did what the woman requested, she caught Miroku's eye. He shrugged, obviously as clueless as herself.

"You have been here before, I think. Many years ago." The old woman's eyes were still sharp, and they bored into Kagome with an intensity that was a bit frightening.

"Yes, when I was little. The priest said I had no powers, though."

"And yet, here you are. And with such power..." Kaede fell silent for several minutes. Kagome could hear the soft sounds of the koi fish in the pond.

"Do you know the name Shiori, Kagome?" the sudden question brought the girl out of the trance she'd fallen into.

"I know that she was one of my ancestors," the old miko nodded sagely at the comment.

"Indeed she is, although blood only counts for so much when it comes to mikos and their powers."

"I thought powers were passed down through the family, though," Kagome said, her eyebrows pinching together over her nose.

"Sometimes," was Kaede's cryptic answer. "And sometimes not. It all depends on fate."

"So it's simply a matter of chance?" asked the priest.

"No. Chance and fate are not the same thing," she chided him. "Don't you remember your lessons?"

"I must have missed that one," he said, rubbing his neck as he added, "Would you care to remind me?"

She snorted at him before continuing, "Miko powers do not die with the miko. Such abilities simply find a new host. However, certain qualities and traits need to already exist for the powers to take hold. In this way, most mikos only ever gain a small bit of power. It is rare for more than one mikos' power to go to the same person. However, it does happen, every once in a great while. Shiori was such a child. When she turned fifteen, what had been average power suddenly took on a new form. It became something greater, bigger. The only explanation was that she'd been granted more than one miko's power. Fate had a purpose for this. Youkai and human lived in fear of one another, hatred existed on both sides. Men, women, children: none were safe from the other. Instead of using her powers for her own glory, she set about changing the world. And somehow, she managed it. What we have today is the long distant result of her choices."

Kagome was awestruck. Why hadn't her grandfather told her they were related to such an illustrious person? "But doesn't that mean her powers should have gone to someone else when she died?"

"That's how it was supposed to be, yes. However, as you can imagine, she didn't want the world she'd been working so hard to calm to erupt once more into chaos. So, instead of allowing her powers to be passed on, she locked them away. No one knows how, but she did."

"But you said that fate would choose the next miko. Wasn't she standing against fate?" Miroku asked.

"Shiori, I think you'll find, knew very well that fate could undo what she had done. If it wanted to. But it didn't. And what would have happened after her death, if her powers were still in her? Every human and youkai would have been obsessed with finding the child who bore them. That child would have been used as a weapon. Shiori lived the last few months of her life powerless. But even when she was confronted by men and youkai, she would not reveal where her powers were hidden."

Kagome stood, pondering what the woman had said. After a minute or so, she asked, "So...miko powers aren't something specific for each miko. They're shared, down through the years?"

"Indeed," Kaede said, nodding. "Think of them like the wind. The wind never truly goes away. It simply moves somewhere else. Just because it isn't blowing on you doesn't mean it has disappeared. But I must warn you, Kagome. You mustn't mention this to anyone here. The temple is not what it once was...Its purity has been slipping away for years now."

"I felt that, when I was little. It was like the buildings were glowering at me."

"This small space which I have made for myself is where I can feel the old purity still. I've worked hard to keep it clean of outside influences."

"Kaede-sama," Kagome said, kneeling beside the woman, "I wanted to ask if you would train me."

Sighing, the miko looked away for a moment. "Of course you must be trained, but again, it can't happen here." Pausing, she considered. "Miroku," she said, addressing the young priest.

"Yes, Kaede-sama?"

"What's been decided concerning the request which came through yesterday?"

"I have been asked to go, but they have yet to choose which mikos are best suited." His eyes lit up as she added, "Perhaps you are thinking about retiring to the countryside?"

"I believe that would be a lovely idea," was the immediate answer. "Go and tell that sanctimonious old coot that I will speak with him."

"Of course," Miroku said, bowing slightly before turning away. He added over his shoulder, "And never fear, this conversation shall remain between us."

Kagome was confused...again. Still on her knees, she looked up to find Kaede watching her closely. "What's going on?" The younger woman asked. "Will you be able to train me?"

"Yes, but it will happen in a much quieter place. One where you will simply be part of the scenery."

"I don't understand..."

"Just wait and see," said her new teacher. "It will become clear quite soon."

* * *

And so the plot actually begins to form ^-^


	8. The Western Lands Living Museum

**A/N: **Kagome has to make a choice and the path begins to unfold.

**Prompt:** KYN Weekly Word Prompt - Rain

**Disclaimer:** All canon characters found within belong to one, Rumiko Takahashi. I make no money from this fanfic.

**Originally Published:** May 14, 2012

* * *

Kagome lay on her stomach, a glossy brochure spread open in front of her on the bed. Colorful photographs showed several small villages and a large, imposing castle fortress. Green forests and lush valleys served as backdrops for the reenactors who appeared in the images. Sighing, she flipped to the back and read through the information provided...again.

"Western Lands Living Museum: Come experience the history of Japan through hands-on interaction and instruction from our professional staff. Youkai, hanyou, and human alike all played a vital part in the forming of our great nation! Learn in a safe and enjoyable environment. Bring the whole family for a weekend getaway!"

On the back, at the very bottom, was the recognizable logo of the Taisho Group. It was the sort of company parents would give their right arm to have a child working for. Good benefits, above average working conditions, worldwide presence: everything spoke of a well-oiled machine. And it had been well-oiled for almost two centuries. Wars had come and gone, but nothing could destroy the Taisho family and its enterprises. Granted, it didn't hurt that the head of the family was several thousand years old. The Great Dog General was someone whose name every child read about from their earliest school days.

Sitting up, Kagome walked over to her bedroom window and glanced out at the shrine. A few visitors were standing before the Sacred Tree, but other than that, the place was quiet. When she'd visited the Sacred Temple, it had been full of people. But none of those people had seemed very happy, and after speaking with Kaede and Miroku, she was starting to understand why. Corruption could enter anywhere, even, apparently, an ancient temple.

Glancing down at the paper in her hand, Kagome sighed before nodding and saying resolutely to herself, "If it will help my family and if it will give me the chance to learn, then I guess I really have no choice."

~THAT NIGHT AT DINNER~

"Did you get to talk to the miko you went to see," Kagome's mother asked as she passed the salt to Sota.

Kagome, who had just taken a bite of rice and vegetables, swallowed before saying, "Yes."

"Was she nice?" asked her younger brother, shoving food into his mouth before adding, "Did she make you do anything weird?"

"Sota..."

"Sorry mom," the boy said, knowing better than to talk with his mouth full.

"She was really nice, although the temple itself still kind of gave me the creeps."

"You didn't like the temple?" her mother said, eyebrows going up. "When we took you there when you were young, it seemed very well looked after."

"It's still really pretty...but it's always had a strange feeling to it. Like when you go into a smoker's home and you can almost _feel_ the smoke on the walls." Kagome had never told her family about the weird vibes she'd gotten all those years ago.

Now, however, seeing that she was no longer just Kagome, but Kagome-the-miko, they took it in stride. "Will she be able to train you?" her grandfather asked, reaching out and picking up another piece of fish.

"Yes..." the young woman began before pausing. This was the part she wasn't sure they would agree with. "But she doesn't want me to train at the temple."

"How come?" Sota demanded. "Don't they like you?"

"I don't think it has anything to do with people liking me," Kagome assured him. The boy could be a pain at times, but he was always very protective and loyal when others maligned his family.

"Oh...then how come?" He was curious, too.

"Kaede-sama says there's something not right with the temple. Like it's lost some of its purity."

"Have none of the priests realized this?" her grandfather demanded. "That is simply not right! Temples and shrines should be places of refuge and prayer!"

"Calm down, Grandpa," Kagome said, trying to reassure him. "I'm sure that if Kaede-sama knows, she's told the others." Although, even as she said it, she felt a twinge of doubt..The woman's mannerisms when the issue had been raised still seemed a little off.

"So, if you can't be trained there, where _will_ she train you?" Kagome's mother had the tone of voice going which meant 'I think we might be having a longer discussion about this soon.'

Taking a deep breath, Kagome plunged in, "Apparently, a museum contacted the temple a few days ago about needing a few priests and mikos to work there. They'd already picked a priest or two, but they hadn't gotten around to figuring out which miko were best suited. Kaede-sama said she was going to speak to the head priest and have both of us put on the list."

"A museum?" her mother said, an eyebrow going up as her tone, thankfully, changed to one of curiosity. "What sort of museum?"

Pulling the brochure out of from under her, Kagome passed it over. "It's a living museum. You know, where there are reenactors and they do the sort of things people would have done during that time period. It's new, so we'll be some of the first."

Kagome's mother opened the paper as her father-in-law and son walked around the table to read over her shoulder.

"Western Lands? Where's that?" Sota asked, forehead scrunching up.

"That castle is the Taisho family's ancestral home," her grandfather pointed out, his voice a little awestruck. "That means they're opening the museum on their own, personal property."

"How far from Tokyo is that?" her mother asked, looking at the older man.

Kagome winced as he answered, "Several hours."

"Several hours?" she demanded, swinging her head back to look at her daughter. "Kagome, do you really want to go that far away? What about all your friends?" The concern was evident in both her eyes and her voice.

"If I had any other choice, I wouldn't," the younger woman said softly. "But this is a really good opportunity to learn with a miko who's well-thought of and in good standing."

As the other two sat back down, her grandfather sighed and agreed. "If she's trained by Kaede-sama of the Sacred Temple, she'll have all sorts of doors opened to her."

Her mother's face fell a little. The two were very close and it hurt them both think that Kagome would have to go so far away.

Trying to make the woman feel a little better, Kagome added, "You can all come visit me, though. I think you'd enjoy it. It looks like a really neat place! And this way, Sachiko's parents might let her see me. If I can control my powers, it might make them less nervous."

~TWO DAYS LATER~

It was raining again. And Kagome was running late. Of course I'm running late, she thought to herself as she rounded the last corner. The weather was obviously trying to tell her something. As she came up to the group of departing mikos and priests, she realized how right she was.

There, standing a few feet from Kaede-sama, was the young woman who Kagome had seen on the temple's website. The one who had smiled when the priest had declared her powerless. Kikyo.

* * *

Every heroine needs someone to take a few of the happy feelings away...And so, we have Kikyo.


	9. A New Home

**A/N: **Making new friends is always fun.

**Prompt:** KYN Weekly Word Prompt - Vibrant (Dokuga)

**Disclaimer:** All canon characters found within belong to one, Rumiko Takahashi. I make no money from this fanfic.

Sachiko and Chiharu (c) me.

* * *

Thankfully, the museum had sent more than one van to transport the dozen or so men and women to their new place of employment. Several hours crowded together in tight quarters would have been uncomfortable, to say the least. Following Kaede-sama's instructions, Kagome didn't speak to the elderly miko. Instead, she found Miroku and stayed near him during the loading process. Kikyo sat beside the older woman during the trip, while the young priest found them seats in the second van.

Kagome's questioning expression was met by a simple shake of the head. Whatever the reasoning behind this was, the explanation would have to wait. A little frustrated with the situation, she allowed herself to be seated next to the window. Watching Tokyo roll by, she wondered what the museum was actually like...After all, glossy brochures were all well and good, but where were their living quarters? Surely they weren't going to stay in the park the entire time. Playacting a priestess from the past during the day was one thing, but she wanted a comfortable bed and a shower in the evening.

As the countryside opened around them, she turned to face Miroku. His arms were crossed and his eyes were closed. Handsome in a boyish way, his sleeping face was almost enough to make her forget how perverted his hands could be...Almost, but not quite. Nudging his shoulder, she waited for him to blink at her a time or two before she asked, "Where are we all supposed to live?"

Rolling his shoulders and neck, he smiled, saying, "I believe we're to have rooms in the castle. There's a wing on one side which has been made into apartments for the reenactors."

"Won't we be in the way of the family?" Kagome's brows drew down in concern.

"I don't think so...The castle itself is larger than you realize. It was built into the side of a mountain, almost a thousand years ago."

Kagome felt her eyes widen. "The _side_ of the mountain?"

He nodded. "Some of the older rooms, from what I understand, were once caves. The Inu no Taisho, who began building the castle after gaining the title from his father, chose the spot and decided to use the caves which were already carved into the rock."

As the vans continued along winding country roads, Kagome allowed her mind to think back over what the brochures had said. Knowing now that she was going to actually be living in the castle of such a powerful youkai family, she began to get an uncomfortable feeling deep in the pit of her stomach. What would they say when they found out that one of the miko they'd hired wasn't properly trained? Not only was she going to be working in the park, where hanyou and youkai would be wandering around, she'd also be living in their home.

Breathing deeply, she tried not to panic. What if something happened and she hurt someone? Why hadn't she thought this through before she'd agreed?

A hand touched her shoulder, causing her whip her head back around to face the young priest. His face was concerned as he took in her widened eyes and still rather shallow breathing. "It'll be alright, Kagome. Don't worry. Kaede-sama wouldn't have suggested this if she didn't think it was for the best."

At the mention of the older miko, Kagome realized he was right. After all, with a mere touch of the hand, Kaede-sama had recognized what was happening inside her. Surely, if she could do that, she would have known if the powers were too volatile to be around others. Offering the man a smile, she nodded. Her breathing began to slow once more and the threat of hyperventilating quickly went away. She was not normally a panicky person, but something about the situation just didn't seem right...

~AT THE END OF THE JOURNEY~

Upon reaching the correct turnoff, everyone in the two vans watched as they wound through well-tended forests and around wide-open fields. Rice plants were growing in the distance, but Kagome didn't see anything which looked like a museum. Rounding a bend in the trees, however, brought their new home into view.

In the distance, she could see the large, imposing shape of the castle fortress which had played such a large part in the history of youkai-human interaction. The road they were traveling crossed over a river before ending in front of it. A sign and a welcome center showed where the museum grounds began. Passing that point, they saw a village situated beside the road. Rice fields being tended by reenactors, who wore the loose clothing of peasants. Crossing the bridge, they found a second village, this one a little larger. A temple sat in the middle of it, a natural rise in the land giving it a view over the tops of the other buildings. More rice fields could be seen behind it, as well. Ten minutes later, they pulled up in front of the castle itself. Servants hurried forward and began taking luggage off the top of the vehicles as the priests and priestesses climbed stiffly out.

Kagome followed Miroku onto the drive, her legs cramping a little after sitting for so long. Craning her head backwards, she couldn't see the top of the large building before her. That was a little disconcerting, she decided. And if what her friend had said was indeed true, it was deeper than most people realized. When her eyes finally dropped back down, she found a servant standing in front of her, black neko ears at attention.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Kagome exclaimed. "Did you say something?"

The girl smiled and gave a small giggle. "Don't feel bad," she murmured. "The castle has that effect on most people. I merely wanted to tell you that I'm here to lead you to your room, if you'd follow me."

Looking around, she saw Kaede-sama and Kikyo being led away by another young woman. Miroku had already disappeared, presumably for the same purpose. Nodding, she said, "Lead on." As they entered the building, Kagome asked, "What's your name?"

"Chiharu," said the hanyou, her silver eyes smiling as she turned her face toward the young miko.

"Have you worked here long?" Kagome found herself thinking how much like Sachiko the girl seemed, vibrant and full of life...Which was a little bittersweet, but perhaps they could be friends. In such a large and unfamiliar place, it would be nice to have a few friends.

"Well...My mother's one of the cooks here, so my family's lived in the castle my entire life. But no, I've only been employed by the family for a few years. Before that, my parents let me travel overseas. It was fun, but I missed them all." She shrugged her shoulders. "And this is a really nice place to work, for the most part."

"For the most part?" Kagome asked, her interest piqued.

A small smile slid across Chiharu's face. "Just be glad you aren't a gardener...Or one of the maintenance staff. They're _constantly_ having to repair the damage."

"Damage?" Now Kagome was a little concerned. "Do you have earthquakes here?"

"Something like that..." was the cryptic answer. "But don't worry. You'll be out in the villages, so you won't have to deal with any of that." The last comment came as she opened one of the nearly identical doors which lined the hallway. "This will be your apartment. Just let me know if you need anything."

Kagome moved around her and stepped into one of the nicest apartments she'd ever seen. If they'd still been in Tokyo, she would have been flabbergasted by the size alone, let alone the furnishings. Looking over her shoulder, she said, "This can't be right! I'm one of the reenactors."

Chiharu smiled at her incredulity. "Don't worry. We all live in apartments like this. Izayoi-sama, Toga-sama's lady, enjoys decorating and making people feel welcome. And if you wish to paint a wall or have the colors changed, just let someone know and they'll take care of it."

"Why would they do that?" Kagome was honestly shocked. She'd never heard of an employer doing such things for their employees.

"To them, we're like family. And, for the museum staff, you've all made a big commitment, coming out here. There isn't really a town nearby, so they basically built a town inside the castle. We have a movie theater and restaurants and shops...We even have musicals and plays every once in awhile!"

Kagome was now truly speechless. There was a movie theater in the castle, too?

Chiharu put her hands behind her back and said, "Well, I'll leave you to unpack. If you'd like, I could come back around dinnertime and give you a bit of a tour. There's a map on the counter, but..." She trailed off, her face expectant.

Coming back to herself enough to speak, Kagome quickly said, "I'd love for you to show me around! Knowing me, I'd get lost and end up somewhere I shouldn't be."

"I'll come back around five then," and with that final comment, the hanyou closed the door behind her.

Kagome turned back to face the apartment, a huge grin splitting her face. All her prior misgivings forgotten for the moment, she hurried about pushing open doors and peeking into cupboards and closets. Maybe being a miko wasn't such a bad thing, after all!

* * *

I kind of wished I lived there now...Sounds like fun!


	10. Easy To Find

**A/N:** Wherein Kagome meets people and doesn't get lost (yay!)

**Prompt****:** Shimmer (KYN's Weekly Word Prompt - Dokuga)

* * *

When five o'clock came, Kagome was sitting on the brown leather couch in her new living room. While still extremely excited about the beautiful apartment, the doubts of earlier in the day had begun to slowly creep back into her thoughts. Forcing herself to keep breathing and not panic, she waited as calmly as she could for Chiharu to knock. When the sound finally came, she was out of her seat and to the door in mere seconds.

The neko hanyou, now clad in jeans and a t-shirt, smiled at her as they started off down the hallway. "Do you have everything you need?"

"Oh, yes! The apartment's great!" Kagome hurried to reassure her new friend.

The young woman led them with practiced ease through the many labyrinthine halls and passageways which made up the Western Fortress. "Don't worry," she said to the young miko. "It gets easier to find things as you walk around. And it's pretty hard to get lost, truth to tell. They have signs and stuff up everywhere."

Leaving the apartment wing behind, they entered a hallway which opened into a large, glass topped atrium. Chiharu paused so that Kagome could look around without falling over. "This is where the shops and restaurants are. This part of the building is back behind one of the formal gardens, so you can't see it from the road."

"Does everyone come here to eat?"

"Yes and no. There's a grocery down the way over there, and most of us buy stuff there and make our own meals. Well...most of the families eat that way. The singles tend to eat more in the restaurants."

"This is really nice...most places might give you a cafeteria, but not an entire mall." Kagome was thinking back to her high school. Not having to eat cafeteria food again was going to be wonderful.

"Years ago, everyone used to eat in one of the dining rooms, but now there are too many people for that. This is just easier for everyone."

Chiharu had just started walking again when Kagome saw the pale face of Kikyo across the way. The other miko was glancing around as she hurried along, almost as though she didn't want anyone to notice her. The whole thing just seemed strange...How did she know where she was going? And why did it look like she was trying to avoid detection?

Hopefully they'd get a list of where everyone was living, so that she could meet up with Kaede-sama before their duties began in the museum...She was curious as to why Kikyo had been brought along. From what she had gathered from her limited research on the young woman, she was supposedly one of the stars of the temple. Why was someone like _that_ going to work in a museum so far away from everything?

Realizing she was blocking the way and that Chiharu had stopped to look for her, Kagome mentally shoved all thoughts of Kikyo to the back of her mind. She'd deal with all that later. At the moment, she was hungry and it looked like there might be a noodle shop up ahead.

* * *

Once they'd each eaten a hearty bowl of noodles, Chiharu led her back to her room. "My mom wanted me to help watch my kid siblings tonight, so I have to head that way. Sorry I couldn't show you more!"

"Don't worry about it," Kagome waved her apologies away. The young woman had already helped her more than any map ever could. Before the girl got too far away, she called after her, "Is there anyway that I can find some of the others I came in with?"

Before rounding the corner, Chiharu called back, "Just dial 0 on the phone and ask for whoever you want. They'll put you through or give you the room number." She then waved and disappeared from sight.

Slowly closing the door, Kagome looked around her new home again. The color scheme was very simple, which was fine, but she might actually ask if they could change a few things. White walls had never really been her thing...And it would give her something to think about other than how far out of her depth she truly was.

* * *

She didn't know _why_ she was staring at the phone...It wasn't like it was going to bite her, after alll. She just needed to pick it, dial '0', and ask for Kaede-sama. Or Miroku. Taking a deep breath, she reached out and lifted the receiver. Punching the number, she held her breath, hoping Chiharu had been correct. She needn't have worried. The calm, feminine voice of the operator came through, asking how she could help.

Several minutes later, Kagome paused at a fork in the hallway, looking back and forth from the sign on the wall to the map in her hands. Her new friend had also been correct in how well marked the castle was. Finding Kaede-sama's hall had only taken her a few minutes of wandering, which was a first. None of the Higurashi's were known for their directional abilities...

Reaching the door, Kagome went to knock, only to freeze with her hand an inch away from the door. Something was telling her to be extremely cautious, although why, she didn't know. Being as quiet as possible, she brought her ear close to the wood, trying to hear what was going on inside. A few rumbling words came to her before the door was pulled open and she found herself staring at the buttons on a large chest.

Jerking herself backwards, startled blue eyes shot up to meet a pair of golden ones. Thankfully, they shone with good humor and not anger. Kagome knew better than to listen at keyholes...It only ever got you into trouble.

A deep voice chuckled as he stepped aside so she could enter. "Why don't you come in? I'm sure Kaede-sama won't mind."

Hurrying around his large form, she found her new mentor sitting beside a petite woman with dark hair. Smiling at the young miko, she held her wizened hand out and gestured for her come closer. "Izayoi-sama, this is the young lady I was just telling you about. Kagome, this is Izayoi-sama."

Kagome bowed respectfully to the woman.

"And you've already met Toga-sama..." The humor in the elderly miko's voice didn't keep Kagome from stiffening and turning slowly to face the tall man who was now behind her.

A brief shimmer passed over his features as they morphed slightly. When the change was done, she was left looking at the wilder hair and marked features of a full youkai. And not just any youkai, either...This was one of the most powerful demons Japan, or even the world, had ever seen. And now he was her boss.

Kagome's eyes widened as she made an even deeper bow to him. No wonder he'd known she was out in the hallway...She was only lucky he hadn't sent a bit of his energy her way first. That would hurt more than just her pride. She probably would have ended up flat on her rear after meeting the wall rather more forcefully than she would have liked.

Before she could think of anything to say, Kaede-sama continued, "They are both very interested in the powers which you've manifested."

Paling a bit, Kagome blinked a few times, finally managing to say a very soft, "Oh."

* * *

And now Kagome has a whole new set of people to deal with.. Fun!


	11. Breath, Child

**A/N:** Sorry this took so long ^.^"" But, here it is! Kagome has to deal with the situation she finds herself in, which is never fun if you aren't sure what's going on.

**Prompt:** Laughter (KYN's Weekly Word Prompt - Dokuga)

* * *

It was several minutes later that Kagome found herself seated on the couch across from the two women. The taiyoukai was somewhere behind her, which was a disconcerting feeling. She tried to be polite, however, and not fidget. Thankfully, Izayoi-sama seemed to realize how uncomfortable she was, for she called her husband over to her side. Although, having him perched on the arm of the couch, where he could stare directly across at her with those strange, golden eyes of his really wasn't proving to be much better.

Kaede-sama drew her attention back to the issue at hand, however, when she said, "Would you mind telling Toga-sama and Izayoi-sama about your powers?"

"And you needn't fear, my dear," came the lady's soft voice, comforting in tone and accompanied by a smile. "We understand that this is an issue of utmost importance."

The young woman felt her face pale at the words. While she knew her situation was...difficult, she hadn't expected it to turn into a state secret. But, knowing she really had no choice, she bowed her head respectfully before telling them what had transpired in the flower shop.

They were both silent when she finished. But in that silence, Kagome could almost _feel _the concern...the wall being drawn around her. When she had been a child, she'd always felt bad for the children no one had wanted to play with. They had looked so alone, standing on the other side of the school yard. Only once had she ever tried to play with one of them...He'd lashed out at her, angrily telling her to go away. Looking back on it now, as the verdict hung over head, she could understand why he had done that. When you tell someone often enough that they aren't worthy, they begin to believe it. And that makes them angry...She didn't want to be that person. She wanted a place to call her own, where she was welcomed and wanted.

Her thoughts died away as the deep voice of her employer drew her attention back to him and his wife. "I imagine you're a little unsure about all this, Higurashi-san."

She nodded her head, still looking at her knees.

"What concerns you most?" This came from his lady.

Kagome was rather shocked to be offered that particular question. What _wasn't _she concerned about? Raising her blue eyes to meet Izayoi-sama's darker ones, she said, in complete honesty, "Everything."

The woman blinked a time or two and then asked, "But why? Miko and youkai have lived side by side for many centuries. And while I understand that your powers, in particular, are perhaps a little more potent than some of the others, it really does make little difference in the grand scheme of things."

Kagome took a deep breath, and replied, "I'm not going to lie, my mother raised me better than that. Therefore, I feel I must tell you that I think having me here is a liability. I have no training and the one time I've actually used my powers I hurt someone without even really trying."

At this a chuckle came from the youkai who was still lounging on the couch arm. "Not too long ago, the same thing would have been said by a youkai, if he'd been asked to work around humans. And yet, you see it every day now." Before she could say anything to that, he raised his hand and added, "I understand your concern, and I'm not laughing at you. However, both humans and youkai tend to travel very quickly from one extreme to the other, and neither is a healthy place to be. And so, we would very much like you to stay. You may receive your training, and we shall have a young miko in the park. But we won't force you...This is something you have to decide for yourself."

Kagome couldn't help it when a little voice said in the back of her mind that his age was showing. But...wasn't that a good thing? He'd seen much more than she had, and what he said held a good deal of wisdom. And so, taking a deep breath, she said calmly, "I very much appreciate your willingness to allow me to stay, even though you know the situation I find myself in. If you have no problem with hiring me, then I shall do my best to learn everything I can from Kaede-sama." As a show of respect, she stood and bowed deeply to them. She knew the sort of risk they were taking...and she was grateful for their kindness.

After a few more minutes, where news was passed back and forth among the three older people, Izayoi-sama turned to Kagome once more. "Perhaps you could come visit me tomorrow. I can show you some of the original parts of the fortress, which I assure you are quite lovely." Her kind face, while composed and graceful, still held the shadow of the girl she had once been.

Kagome bowed again and said, "I would like that very much, Izayoi-sama."

And with that, they left, taking the feeling of formality with them. When Kaede-sama turned to look at the young woman, she found a face full of panic.

"Kagome!" exclaimed the miko, "Whatever is the matter, child?"

"I'm going to kill someone, Kaede-sama! It won't be on purpose, and I'll feel absolutely terrible about it, but it is going to happen at some point!" The extreme emotions she'd been fighting the entire time the two others had been in the room surged to the fore, nearly choking her. As frightened tears started running down her pale cheeks, she could picture what it would be like. Then, she wouldn't simply be an untrained miko, she'd be a murderess!

Two wrinkled hands landed on her shoulders, pushing her down until she fell onto the couch behind her. When the equally wrinkled face of her teacher appeared before her, even she could sense the power pulsing below the surface. While Kaede might not be as powerful as Shiori had been, she was still a miko.

"Breath, girl," were her instructions as she caught and held the startled blue eyes of her young apprentice. "You shall take deep, calming breaths. And you shall stop this useless worrying."

With a gulp of air, Kagome tried to do as she was told...but the worries simply retreated.

* * *

Do not argue with an old lady who has the respect of an ancient, extremely powerful youkai / That is a BAD idea...


End file.
